LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to push for a vote of no confidence in the Tories – with SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford vowing he will work with other opposition parties to try to make this happen in a bid to force an early General Election.
Blackford has written to Starmer – who as the leader of the opposition in the House of Commons is the only MP who can submit a formal vote of no confidence motion.
The SNP MP insisted that opposition leaders “cannot stand idly by as the Tories attempt to impose their third prime minister in the space of three months”.
Blackford told Starmer: “It is time to trigger a motion of no-confidence in this disastrous Tory government and – most importantly – it is time for people to have their say in a General Election.”
Passing a motion of no confidence in the Conservative government could trigger an early General Election.
However, it is uncertain if such a motion would be passed, with the Tories holding a majority at Westminster.
But Blackford insisted that “with a vacuum at the top of the Tory leadership”, the time was right to “trigger that motion and attempt to force a General Election”.
Opposition parties need to “impose maximum pressure” on the Conservative government, the SNP MP added.
He urged Starmer: “I hope we can act together to stop this shambles, put maximum pressure on the Tories as they fight each other, and let the people have their democratic say in a General Election.”
His comments came as he accused the Conservatives of having “taken a wrecking ball to the UK economy and made families suffer – as mortgage rates rise, pensions fall, and soaring inflation pushes up household bills”.
Blackford continued: “Having done so much damage, they simply cannot be allowed to impose a third Tory prime minister without an election. It would be unthinkable and undemocratic. Voters must get a say.”
He argued it was now “vital that opposition parties work together to force a vote of no confidence, and pile pressure on the Tories to call a General Election, so voters can decide”.
The SNP MP had told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme that the SNP are preparing to fight a General Election, the party’s Westminster leader said, as he insisted Scots will be “appalled” at the prospect of Boris Johnson making a dramatic comeback as prime minister.
Blackford said that “given everything that happened” when Johnson was in charge at Downing Street, it would be “beyond the pale” for him to return.
“It is almost beyond belief that the Conservatives would even consider this,” the SNP MP said.
The partygate scandal saw Johnson become the first prime minister to receive a criminal penalty while in office. Meanwhile, questions about the behaviour of Chris Pincher, who resigned as deputy chief whip amid sexual misconduct allegations and how much Johnson knew about it, resulted in an avalanche of ministerial resignations, finally sparking the prime minister’s exit from Downing Street.
However, Liz Truss’s dramatic downfall has left some within the Conservative Party calling for Johnson to return as leader.
Scottish Conservative Party chairman Craig Hoy refused to comment on the prospect that Johnson could run in the latest leadership contest.
Hoy told Good Morning Scotland: “In relation to myself as party chairman it would be inappropriate for me to engage in speculation about candidates.”
Asked if his party was now preparing for a General Election, Blackford said: “Yes of course we are.
“We believe there should be a general election, this is a Conservative Government that has run out of time.”
An election is in the “national interest”, he insisted, saying this would “mean people have their right to have their say on this issue”.
Blackford argued: “It shouldn’t just be down to Tory MPs and Tory members to pick the next prime minister.
“Time really needs to be up for this Conservative government.”
